Ironing-machine.



',fNo. 717,568.

v PHTHNTHD JAN.6,1903. H. H. GRAAGH. IHOHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 26, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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um man /NVENTR me :mums PETERS un.. wauwau.. wAsHmTuN, D. c,

UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OEEICE.

HENRY H. GRAAOK, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

lRONlNG-MACHiNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,568, dated January6, 1903.

Applies@ ned Marat 26, 1902.

To all whom, t ina/y concern:

Be it known that LHENRY H. GrRAACELad citizen of the United States,residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Machines; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates. to improvements in ironing-machines and to suchas are adapted for the ironing of the wristbands and neckbands of shirtsor like garments.

It consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, andarrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an end elevation ofthe ironingmachine, the power-receiving pulley thereof being removed.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is an elevation of theopposite end of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is adetail sectionai view through one of the ironing-rolls andthe mechanismsupporting the same. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through thepaddedy pressure-roll.

The ironing-machine embodying this invention is' formed kwith a framemade up of two standards 1 and 2, connected by a brace bar or plate 3and further braced by a tie or brace rod et. One of the standards, as 1,carries a power-receiving shaft 5, journaled in the said standard andcarrying at its outer end fast and loose pulleys 6 and 7 which areadapted to be connected up by suitable belting with a proper source ofpower. The inner end of the shaft 5 projects a short distance beyond thestandard 1 and carries a pinion 8, which meshes with a gear-wheel 9,secured to the end of a counter-shaft 10. The counter-shaft 10 alsofinds a suitable bearing in the standard 1 of the frame, its outer endbeing provided with a pinion 11, which in turn meshes with and actuatesa gear-wheel12 upon the outer end of a pressure-roll shaft 13.

The pressure roll shaft is considerably longer than either the shafts 5or 10, so that it may project beyond the standards 1 and 2 of the frameat each end of the machine.

Serial No. 100,123. (No model.)

One end of said shaft carries the pinion 12 just outside the standard 1,while the other end carries the pressure-roll 33 just outside the otherstandard 2 at the opposite end of the machine. Arranged in suitablerelation to the shaft 13 are two other shafts 17 and 18, carryingironing-rolls 29 and 30, which act in conjunction with the pressure-rolljust men tioned. The shafts 13, 17, and 18 are mounted in the frame ofthe machine in a similar manner, one end of each shaft being secured ina cylindrical sleeve or box 19, which is formed withoppositely-projeeting trunnions 20, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1, 2,and et of the drawings. The bearing-boxes 19 permit the shafts 13, 17,and 18 to rotate properly and yet allow for movement of the said shaftsin a plane at right angles to the axes of the trunnions 20. The boxes 19are arranged in apertures formed in the frame-standard 1. Each ofthesaid shafts 13, 17, and 18 extends through a sliding bearing-box 21,mounted in the standard 2 of the frame. These bearingboxes 21 are formedwith liat sides,which bear against the guiding sides of slots 22 in thestandard 2. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the movementthus arranged for the shafts 13, 17, and 18 is such that the rolls canbe readily brought together or that by separating the said shafts therolls will be correspondingly separated. The shafts 17 and 18 carrypinions 15 and 16, respectively, which mesh with a gear 14 on the shaft13 and receive motion therefrom.

- The boxes 21 of the shafts 17 and 18 are normally pressed inwardly bymeans of springs 23, which are inclosed in casings 25, formed upon thestandard 2. A set-screw 24 in the end of each of these casings isemployed to regulate the tension of the said springs. The sliding box 2lof the shaft 13 is -held in position and adjusted by means of a cam26,which is pivoted between lugs 27 on the standard 2 and is providedwith a lever-arm 28, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The cam is preferablyformed with a circular head eecentrically pivoted,so that the retractilepressureof the pres sure-roll will tend to hold the cam in one positionor the other without other locking means. The lever arm or handle of thecam engages the frame of the machine or a stop thereon, which limits themovement ofthe IOO cam. The bearing-box 2l, carrying the shaft 13, isforced inwardly, so that the pressureroll 33 is forced against theironing-rolls 29 and 30. By lowering the lever-arm 23 the cam 26 will beso moved as to permit the pressure-roll to fall away from theironing-rolls 29 and 30.

A knife or curved plate 35 is mounted in such relation to theironing-rolls as to bear at its opposite ends against the peripheriesthereof, the said knife being supported upon the standard 2, as clearlyillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. This knife-plate occupies such a positionthat it will prevent the cloth of an article being ironed from adheringto one of the ironing-rolls and will guide the said article properlybetween the other ironing and the pressure roll.

The ironing-rolls 29 and 30 are made practically alike, the onlydifference being that the roll 30 is preferably slightly larger indiameter than the roll 29, so that its periphery will travel a littlefaster than the periphery of the roll 29 and will assist in keeping thematerial of the article ironed smooth and without folds or wrinkles andwill have a polishing action also upon the surface of said material.Each of these rolls is made hollow, as shown in Fig. 4, the outer endbeing open to receive a burner 31, by which the said roll maybe heated.The inner end of said roll is preferably conical in shape and is formedwith apertures 32 for Ventilating the interior of the roll.

The pressure-roll 33 is preferably a padded roll, its surface beingcovered with several layers of suitable fabric, and the said roll ispreferably smaller than the ironing-rolls, so that the saidironing-rolls will move faster than the pressure-roll in their actionupon the article being ironed. The pressure-roll 33 is also made longerthan the ironing-rolls 29 and 30, so that the material at the end of theroll, as at 34, which projects beyond the ends of the rolls 29 and 30,will be left in a raised condition, the remainder of the padded portionof said roll being much compressed with relation thereto, because of thepressure of the ironing-rolls. This shouldered portion 34 of the paddingof the pressure-roll is found to be very advantageous in the ironing ofthe wristbands and neckbands of shirts, since it makes it possible toiron such bands without flattening or crushing the adjoining fulled orgathered portion of the fabric.

The gearing connecting the pressure-roll and ironing-rolls is soproportioned that the ironing-rolls travel faster than the pressureroll,so that the tendency is for the ironingrolls to flatten out orstraighten out any wrinkles or folded portions of the garment beingironed and at the same time to give a considerable polish to theexterior thereof. The curved knife-plate 35 being arranged to scrapeagainst the ironing-roll 29, as shown, prevents the fabric from adheringthereto and assists in giving the parts a proper circular form. In usealso the roll 30 is heated somewhat hotter than the roll 29, since thesaid roll 29 engages the fabric to be ironed while it is more or lessmoist and if very hot would be apt to burn or scorch the same, While therollV 30, engaging the said fabric after it has been considerably driedby the said roll 29, may be made considerably hotter without danger ofscorching the material operated upon.

In operating the machine power is applied to pulley 7 and transmittedthrough the train of gearing described, so that the ironing-rolls arerotated faster than the padded or pressure roll. The lever 28 is loweredfor the insertion of an article to be ironed and is then raised to throwthe padded roll into contact with the ironing-rolls, which arepreviously heated, as described. The tensions of the springs 23 areadjusted to give the desired pressure upon the wrist and neck bands. Thearticles to be ironed are fed between the padded roll and the roll 29and are then guided by the knife 35 between the said padded roll and thesecond or nishing ironing-roll 30. The article operated upon will thenbe ironed and polished and given a proper circular form.

I may, if desired, employ any suitable shield over the gearing and rollsand., prevent the fingers and clothing of the operator from being caughtby any of these parts; but they may be made of any ordinary form, and Ido not illustrate or claim'the same.

The parts of the device are comparatively simple and yet easily withinthe control of an operator at all times. It will be apparent, of course,that I may make minor changes in the form or structure of the partswithout departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An ironing-machine provided with a suitable frame, a paddedpressure-roll mounted therein, hollow heating rolls or drums arranged torotate against said pressure-roll, the pressure-roll having a peripheryof the same diameter throughout, but being longer than the heated rollsso that its padded surface will be squeezed around the edges of the saidheated rolls for preventing the crushing or flattening of the gathers orfolds of the garment adjacent to neck or wrist 'bands and the like,substantially as described.

2. An ironing-machine, comprising a suitable frame, a pair of hollowheated polishingdrums yieldingly mounted in said frame, a paddedpressure-roll arranged to bear against the peripheries of thepolishing-drums, a pivoted and a sliding bearing supporting the saidpressure-roll, a cam mechanism adapted to engage the sliding bearing ofsaid roll, comprising a circular head portion eccentrically mounted andbearing with its periphery against the said sliding bearing,and a leverfor turning the said circular head, the said lever engaging a stop forlimiting the movement of IOC) IIO

IZO

the cam, the head being so arranged with respect to its pivotal pointthat the retractile pressure of the pressure-roll will tend to hold thecam in one position or the other Without other locking means,substantially as described.

3. An ironing-machine, formed With ironing-rolls and a pressure-roll,the ironing-rolls being 0f larger diameter than the pressureroll so asto move more rapidly over the garment or other article being roned thandoes the pressure-roll, shafts mounted in a suitable frame andprojecting beyond the end thereof, for carrying said rolls,journal-boxes at the ends of said shafts opposite to the rolls, saidjournal-boxes being pivotally mounted in apertures in the frame of themachine,

